MSU Extension Michigan Naturalist Program

08/29/2026

trees help communities thrive

Hate to break it to you, but trees are way cooler than you 😎.

Bold to say? Not really, because trees are natural air conditioners.

Cities are sometimes described as “heat islands” because they can be significantly warmer than surrounding rural areas. The sun beats down from above, while pavement, roads, and buildings absorb and store that heat. Then, after the sun goes down, those surfaces slowly release it back into the surrounding air.

Warm days can be nice, but when temperatures rise during a heatwave, all that extra heat can make cities even harder to cool down.

That’s one BIG reason why urban forests are so important. Trees help cool cities by providing shade and reducing the amount of heat absorbed by pavement and other surfaces. It might not seem like a few trees could make a big difference, but they have the potential to cool homes and neighborhoods by up to 20°F!

To learn more about how trees help communities and see available resources, check the link in the comments🌳🌲.

08/29/2026

good news

08/29/2026

We hope everyone enjoyed this week's , which was a snowberry clearwing moth (some of you know your moths!). Have you been fortunate enough to see one of these around your home?

A couple of fun facts for you regarding this species:
🦋 They can beat their wings up to 85 times per second.
🦋 They look like little bees as a defense against predators.
🦋 They hover while they drink nectar from plants.

And yes, clearwing moths do indeed look like little hummingbirds. They are important pollinators, and like many pollinators they love flowers...even ones we may not like (even weeds can be good!).

Late summer is an interesting time for pollinators, as they still try to get the food they need from plants many of us just look at as weeds. Thistles (did you know we have native species, like the pictured pasture thistle?) and goldenrod provide important energy for these species to get prepared for their fall and winter life cycles.

If you're planning on removing a bunch of these "weeds" from around your home, remember that they can be important for native species who rely on them. A true pollinator pal will leave some food, or even plant native flowers to be used throughout the summer.

Want to go the extra step to help moths, butterflies or even some of those bees we all like to see (maybe not all )? Consider leaving some of your leaves when fall comes around. It may be tempting to rake and remove them all, but fallen leaves provide important shelter for many species.

Little steps like these help improve conditions for pollinators, which play a huge role in helping plants thrive, and providing food sources for birds and other predators.

We'll drop a few resources to consider when making your home more pollinator friendly, with native species to consider planting to improve the habitat around you.

08/08/2026

Learning and discovery opportunity

08/08/2026

nice find

Welcome to ! Can you guess the species shown in this image? (HINT it's not a plant...)

Good luck to our favorite Friday crowd, the IdentiFridayers (we need a better name) 😎